Randy has updated how he built his Amas and his design thinking: ===============My Sizzor Ama's were new this year. They featured flat bottoms and were much wider (14" rather than last year's round bottom 8" wide ama's). My rational was the Ama's on Sizzor don't really touch the water until I'm going over 10 knots since in light air I can basically balance on the main hull. The round bottom shape is low drag at low speed but are high drag at high speed. Flat bottoms are high drag (lots of wetted surface) at low speed but low drag (think water ski) at high speed. So, these new Ama's aren't any different in light air (since they are airborne) but my high end speed is now improved.

Construction is 1/4" 5 lb density foam built with 2" wide strips over frames (throw away) at 12" spacing. The foam strip edges are routered with a cove on one side and a bead on the other. They are glued with Gorilla glue. This forms the rounded top of the Ama's. The bottom is 1.5" thick of 1/2" x 2 lb density Home Depot blue foam with a 3/16" layer of 5 lb. density foam on the bottom. This foam bottom forms a slanted floor in the ama with the front high and the stern tapered to only about 1/2" of foam. They are glassed with 4 oz. on the inside and 4 oz. and 2 oz. Some carbon is added at the (2) carbon attachment posts. West System Epoxy (you must use epoxy with styrofoam) was use for all laminations.

When capsized, the Ama floods with water that enters thru the (2) 3" round holes (one on the side and one in the transom) to let in water and let the air exit. This solves the trimaran bugaboo of the 180 degree capsize that is normally rather difficult to recover from. With the flooded ama sinking the capsize is relatively easy to recover from the 90 degree position.

Clearly Sizzor has evolved into a rather well rounded performance trimaran with a reasonable degree of safety. I am still uncomfortable setting up my autopilot to allow me some short naps, but that is the logical next step in extending my ability to get to Key Largo without too much sleep deprivation. However, it would be a shame to miss the highly colorful and entertaining hallucinations I've enjoyed while traversing Florida Bay.